Nubreed have been cranking out the toughest beats and breaks for a number of years now, and it’s high time they brought out an album. Whist The Original may not sit well with those who love only the hardest of breaks, it is a good demonstration of Nubreed’s broad range and extraordinary talent. And, for those who love the bass and brakes hard, the ‘Limited Edition’ Phil K mix of Nubreed’s back catalogue on the second CD is sure to please.
Starting with oddworld, a moody, atmospheric tune, it transforms into the ever popular and anthemic One Day, which has come to define the band. The next tunes, Jaded, and Satellites are darker, bass driven tunes, verging on the side of dnb without falling into that over represented genre. For me the track To Know represents the best of Nubreed’s sound, having melodic lyrics with a wild, warped bassline that will cause quakes in tectonically unstable regions of the world if played loud enough. Another tune that will make you go “oh… so THIS is Nubreed… cool!” the irrepressibly catchy Welcome is followed by a very glitch-dub Future Proof, which in some ways reminds me of the Orb.
The pace is picked up once again in Yes You Feat. Koolism. This tune combines the warped basslines with a Two-Step / UK Garage styles and the hiphop lyrics of not only Nubreed’s Mykel but also MC Hau of Koolism, with Danielsan cutting it up over the top; a genre I like to call Nu-step. With a similar Two-Step beat, but combining a more electro-robotic sound Shortkey gets progressively funkier as it rolls. Wo’ Is It? and Qurious return to the familiar ground of Jaded, yet the album finishes on a relatively cinematic note with Harpooned, reminding me once again of the Orb or even the last PWEI remixes that seminal band produced. Oblivion is the last tune, obviously influenced by soul / R&B, but not the tired US sounds, but more akin to what the UK is producing.
The Phil K mix brings the best of Nubreed’s earlier and nastier tunes back into the record buying consciousness, and is perfectly mixed by Melbourne’s premier breaks DJ. Starting with Nougat the collaboration between Nubreed and Luke Chable, the CD is perfect dancefloor orientated breaks, and features remixes of Apex’s Symmetry, Free Radicals Summerbreeze plus a handful of Nubreed’s classics such as Suckerpunch, Beats ‘n’ Rhymes and Ionosphere. This CD is a lot harder, but showcases their dancefloor appeal, whereas the first CD showcases their tunes as a “group”, showing the multifaceted brilliance of this internationally respected group.